South Africa’s unemployment rises to 33.7% despite 101,000 new jobs
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on IOL and SABC News
South Africa’s official unemployment rate rises by 0.1 point to 33.7% in the third quarter: 101,000 people found work, but 97,000 joined the ranks of the unemployed, according to IOL. Young people and Black women remain the hardest hit, according to the quarterly survey by Statistics South Africa.
According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey published by Statistics South Africa, the unemployment rate rises to 33.7% in the third quarter. Young people remain the hardest hit, with a rate of 47.3%, down 0.1 point. Among Black African women, it reaches 52.9%, well above the national average. The number of discouraged work-seekers rises by 70,000 to 3.7 million.
Warwick Lucas, head of private clients at Vunani Securities, believes the economy is not growing fast enough. Growth, at just over 1%, benefits, in his view, sectors that employ few people. He argues for more growth in construction, industry, agriculture, logistics and small businesses, and for fewer obstacles to hiring. He believes jobs need to be created faster than new entrants arrive on the labour market.
Employment in agriculture fell in the third quarter. Agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo says employment declined year on year in most provinces, except in the Western Cape and Limpopo, where fruit and vegetable production supported it. At 911,000 people, employment in the sector remains well above its long-term level, around 800,000.
